Chanelle

Iris Pallida Extrait by Guerlain - does it have the Iris Ganache vibes we're all hoping for, or is it an 18-carrot-love affair, like Hermé's Hiris?
Firstly, it's of excellent quality and long-lasting, just like the other two from this new range that I've already tried.
Again, it is very comfortable and wearable, not too risky.
The first few seconds actually gave this carrot-like feeling, slightly soapy but not pungent on the nose, softly-softly.
Then it gets a cashmere feeling, becomes warmer and feels pleasantly powdery.
I really like the greenish base - it's barely there - which adds some novelty to the otherwise softly creamy-floral scent.
Basically, it's not gourmand, doesn't have much to do with "The Ganache", but puts a sweetly musky spin on the iris theme.
Very pretty. Will be a hit, at least with me.

The first molecules that penetrate my nose are so incredibly fresh and rosy that I think I am passing a huge rose bush in full bloom. Everything about this monothematic fragrance is larger than life, because after a few minutes the rose orchestra builds to a crescendo. The slightly greenish undertone has
disappeared and gave way to a sweeter, more velvety, but still naturally fragrant rose impression. Not as voluminous as Nahema Extrait, but still halfway there. I'm not a fan of rose fragrances, but I've always found Nahema Extrait to be top class. This comes a close second. The base is a little sweeter, more innocent, the body is not as dramatic. It's more modern, more suitable for everyday wear and I bet it's fantastic if you're a fan of layers, like the Bergamote Extrait from the same range. If there's oud, patch or any wood in it, I can't exactly detect it, maybe in tiny traces.
Like a real lady lying down on a bed of roses.

I was in love with Tonka Imperiale (TI) for a whole bottle about 10 years ago, but when I was about to buy a new one, something held me back. I had become reluctant of overly gourmand fragrances and the Amaretto that TI sported, had started getting on my nerves now and then. I never bought that second bottle in the end but switched to Angelique Noire as my everyday scent for a while. My love of Tonka Bean in general did not subside. Today I tried this hopefully glorious newbie, Tonka Sarrapia (TS). It is gorgeous, but will I buy it? 50 ml in Europe are 550 Euros, not easily splashed out.
The first spray landed on my skin and looked a bit oilier than I am used to, but so what.
Immediately I start getting TI vibes, of course. But they do not really take on, it is only a slight similarity, due to the glorious Tonka Bean. A slightly milky, creamy note can be detected and a hint of candied fruit, so I do think of a dessert, Tonka Creme Brulée. But it is not becoming sweet enough to put pounds on me, it stays rather close to the natural scent of Tonkabean, becoming woodier and more pronounced as time goes by. After a while it starts getting even more grown up, even less gourmand, as the woodiness gets smokier, almost oudy, but not quite. It definitely is not a sweetness overload one, this. I recommend for any Tonkabean lover who does not want to smell edible.

Kadine 2021 follows Fol Arôme, relaunched in 2020, as a limited edition. Guerlain seems to have gotten into the habit of reanimating a historic fragrance every year - at a just about acceptable price. In 2020, this has already succeeded brilliantly, and Kadine 2021 has also been praised several times. It is also at the same time the swan song of the extremely talented perfumer who worked for a long time at Thierry Wasser's side and filled the treasure chest of fragrances, of which there are only a few, with fragrances remixed according to original recipes (not IFRA-ready!), but who has unfortunately now left Guerlain: Frédéric Saccone.
Ode, Djedi, Bouquet des Faunes... all fantastic, groundbreaking, trendsetting Guerlain fragrances could be made accessible and smelled to a small, select audience through him so far. They were not available for purchase due to IFRA ineligibility.
The fragrance Kadine was now but (as previously Fol Arôme) the editions according to the new worked out by him and is now available in its full glory, again only in small numbers, but - what a chance!
Today I could finally devote myself to the mini sample, which I had kindly received from Guerlain, without having to buy the fragrance. But it must be bought. Unfortunately, although this perfume also uses the "Quadrilobe-Flacons", also called Jickyflacon, but the packaging is beautiful Art Deco in blue and silver colors, as previously used for example for the new edition of L'heure bleue Baccarat-Flacons "Petit Beurre". Pictures I still upload.
The top note seems familiar to me from the first second. Violet belongs in the fragrance structure here capitalized. Violet is also one of my few floral favorites in perfumes, whether as a violet dragee as in Violet Blonde by Tom Ford, or as a fresh green violet as in Tentation Violette by Pierre Ricaud, or of course in the most beautiful dream scent ever, Aprés L'Ondée.
Of course, it does not remain with the violet, because Kadine has other qualities: slowly changes the Aprés L' Ondée - appeal in a direction that one could call politically completely incorrect floriental. Spicy, more heavily floral, becoming slightly sweet. Reminiscent of L'heure bleue vintage extrait without being narcotic. A softer, more innocent version. Not the blue hour, but at most the light purple. Another plus, I think, because while LHB is great cinema, it also demands a lot for it. Kadine is less possessive but still of exquisite beauty and great depth.
The base offers a soft leather surrounded by delicate sweet aromatic florals and oriental spice.
Not modern, but timelessly feminine and of great radiance.

French Kiss was such a lovely, girly scent. I found it uplifting, playful, a wee bit lipstick-sexy, not too sweet or gourmand, and the rose in it was just a Rosi.
Then someone at Guerlain came up with the idea of making it seem more grown-up and precious, perhaps so that it would fit better into the classy, newly created line, which does cost more.
Rosi was simply exchanged, replaced by the more sublime Nahema Rose and its flippancy was taken away. The result was Rose Cherie, a genteel version of the same theme
Similarities to Malle's Lipstick Rose are probably unintentional, but cannot be dismissed.
The opening to Rose Cherie is velvety-rosy, but it's not long before the little raspberries hop back in there and take away the fragrance's ladylikeness, thank god. One nahema is enough in the world. Rose Cherie starts to develop its own character, the almond is strong and the iris also quite recognizable to smell, still underpinned by a sea of rose water.
The performance is great and the durability guerlaintypisch good.
Only Rosi is now no longer so sweet and sweet, but a French Edelkurtisane, and calls herself Rose Cherie....